Biography

Dutch painter, brother of Gerard van Spaendonck. After an apprenticeship with Guillaume-Jacques (Willem) Herreyns at Antwerp, he left for Paris in 1773 to join his brother, as pupil and collaborator. Between 1785 and 1800, Cornelis was director at the Sèvres porcelain factory, but his administrative skills did not equal his abilities as an artist and he lost this appointment, though he continued as a designer there until 1808. In 1789 he became a member of the Académie and made his Salon début, establishing himself in his own right, and, unlike Gerard, he painted and exhibited throughout his life; his contributions to the Salons continued until 1833. He concentrated on oil and gouache rather than watercolour and was a successful artist at the height of his career. At his death there were 29 paintings and several oil studies in his studio; these were auctioned in February 1840.